Sikh-American’s Viewpoint: Why India has no Right to Express Outrage on Behalf of the Sikhs

The Sikh Gurdwara shooting that left 6 innocent congregants dead in Wisconsin has left many devastated, and looking for answers. In the unfortunate hours during the shooting, news channels desperately attempted to find answers on Sikhism, and as a Sikh all I could do is sit there in shock, not just at the shooting, but more at how no one seemed to know who we were.

Many misconceptions were released by the media, including statements that Sikhs were an offshoot of Hinduism, or a blend of Islam and Hinduism. Sikhism has a great deal of respect for all faiths, but it is as independent as any faith. Founded in Punjab (which now falls in both Pakistan and India), its rejection of the caste system, idol worship, and rituals were just a few of the reasons the faith arose, not out of Hinduism or Islam, but separately as a force against oppressive theologies of the time.

Sikhs Living Across the United States have Condemned the Burning of American Flag in India

Equally appalling however, is the reaction of India’s political party leaders over the horrific events. With some Indian citizens burning American flags, and shouting in protest against America, I was angered by their ignorance and mold ability. Who are they to burn my flag? Had these Indians and party leaders forgotten what caused the Sikhs to flee India and find refuge in America in the first place?

On June 4, 1984 the Indian army under the order of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi attacked the Sikh’s holiest shrine, the Golden Temple. The attack was justified by the government as an attempt to flush out Sikh separatists. Like most Sikhs, these separatists were demanding freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and equal representation. However, the attack did not justify the human rights violations committed within the complex of killing congregants, urinating on dead bodies, tying congregants’ hands with their own turbans, and forcing them to drink the bloody water of the holy pool surrounding the Golden Temple. Along with the Golden Temple, 52 other Gurdwaras (housing no such separatists) were attacked. Reports estimate that 3,000 – 5,000 congregants were killed in 2 days, however, due to a media blackout and ban of Amnesty International (which continues to this day), an accurate number is difficult to fathom. Sikhs fled the nation of India in the years following 1984.

When Indira Gandhi was killed by her own two Sikh body guards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh, the ruling Congress party enticed mobs to ransack the capital of Delhi, and kill Sikhs. It is estimated that over 5,000 Sikhs were killed between October 31st and November 2nd of 1984. Sikh men were lit on fire with tires hung around their neck, women were raped in the streets, and the police stood around and did absolutely nothing to stop it. To this day, regardless of all the eye-witness reports that put individuals such as Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar at the scene of these murders, no one has been convicted.

Witness reports from the Wisconsin shooting state that the shooter aimed at mostly “turbaned individuals.” Similarly, in the years following 1984 in India, the government of India began Operation Woodrose, which was a shoot and kill policy of all terrorists, with terrorists being described as those who wore turbans and had long beards. It is estimated that 150,000 to 250,000 Sikhs were killed under the false accusation of terrorism. The state sponsored terrorism gave a disturbing amount of power to then police chief KPS Gill. It is the orders of KPS Gill and other such high ranking officers that caused the death of thousands. Today, KPS Gill and most of the police officers who killed young men in police encounters, raped daughters in front of their fathers, and destroyed a whole generation, roam free.

Due to these reasons above, I cannot accept India’s “outrage” of the Wisconsin Sikh Temple incident. The leaders of India are hypocrites if they call for swift action for the killing of 6 Sikhs, when they themselves have the blood of 200,000 Sikhs on their hands. (I am only speaking of Sikhs in this post, but many minorities suffer in India).

The American media immediately fixed whatever mistakes they had made regarding the Sikh faith. Police shot and killed the culprit, the Gurdwara’s president was made a hero for his attempt to fight the shooter with his kirpan, and over $150,000 have been raised by Americans to help the victims and those that were wounded. That is what makes American great.

As Americans we may have some work to do in understanding eachother through inter-faith dialogue, but the value of human life and freedom is held at a level unknown to the Indian Government. The Indian government is yet to acknowledge the thousands disappeared and killed, yet to prosecute those responsible, and have provided almost nothing to the families of the victims.

India’s hypocrisy should not be tolerated. The violence in India continues as recently as this last month, where 17 innocent villagers were killed by Indian Police (http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/chhattisgarh-encounter-were-innocent-villagers-killed-238347). India does not represent the Sikh faith, and it definitely does not represent Sikh-Americans. I am thankful that I live in a nation where I can practice my faith freely, safely, and even when tough times arise, I can turn to my fellow Americans for comfort, support, and change.

(For more information regarding the Sikh Genocide in India, please visit http://www.Ensaaf.org)

(To donate to the Wisconsin victims, please visit http://www.indiegogo.com/Milwaukee-Sikh?a=996722)

[These views expressed here are solely of the author, and do not represent any organization, people, or nation]

13 COMMENTS

  1. Very clever people .When sikh guy has raped some one in Australia ,then the sikh newspaper publish news under the name of Indian criminal.Do crime and hide under the Indian name.Why not use the word sikh then ? here is the link of their sister website. http://www.yespunjab.com/punjab/top-stories/item/9032-indian-found-guilty-of-rape-in-australia

    These people are not gurmukhs but munmukhs who just use the word sikh to grab collection from gurdwaras in the name of khalistan.They remind of another communuty which says use the word asian criminal rather than using their country name.we all know this peace loving country next to india.

  2. Indian Sikh??? the reality is many of our people have been murdered by muslims and hindus. It was our families(the Sikhs) that were truly screwed over by the creation of pakistan. look at history we were not a part of India, nonetheless we are from the last part of the Indian subcontinent to be conquered by the British and if not for weak leadership we would have our own country, Khalistan. We are not wrong to express outrage at the lack of representation when times are bad and the ignorance of those in India who claim to represent our cause. Dont burn the American Flag for it is america that gives us the chance to practice our religion openly despite the actions of those who are ignorant. Give us back our land all of Punjab even just as a state, don’t undermine our culture, our religion, our language, we are Punjabi Sikhs not Indian. India is very diverse and contains many cultures but it is quite clear that we do not hold the same values as those from other parts and many have had to leave their homeland in order to live with true religious freedom.

    • hindus have as much right to punjab as do sikhs. who are you to say sikhs have a monopoly on punjab?
      You conveniently forget your indian heritage, to embrace american. great. When was the last time a crazed hindu gunmen attacked worshippers in a gurudwara in India, setting aside the sirty politics of the 80, 90s?

      enjoy america. sikhs in india are well represented in all walks of life in india. its only fools like you who continue to live in time warps of the 80’s. You obviously did not see the live cnn feed of a hindu punjabi from india crying about his sikh relatives in the wisconsin gurudhwara?

  3. Don’t involve politics on dead.It’s a shame that sikh journalism has gone to this extent.The Sikhs love india and no doubt that it is still safe than america.These few jackals who have run away from India are making this sort of news.This is not the view of whole community.Has Obama bothered to visit the victims?

  4. Do not attack Sikh Gurdwaras.

    Pauri 5th Guru.
    Taking halters men go out at night to strangle others but the Lord knows all O mortal.
    Concealed in places they look at other women.
    They break into places, difficult of access, and enjoy wine deeming it sweet.
    Over their respective misdeeds they shall themselves misdeeds, they shall themselves afterwards regret.
    Angel of Israel shall crush them like the mill full of sesame.

  5. 4 of the people who died where Indians. It is like you saying the american should not come in supports of African-American,even though they were treate as slaves or oppressed for a long time. As the time changes,so do people. Why there is so much animosity in your blog. Peace.

    • You need to get your fact strength, because 6 persons are shahid of Sikh Panth and they were Sikh, not Indians. Anyone can come to grief on funeral and be part of sad sangant. Saying or printing peace will not bring peace.

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